Discussion Bible

What political factors might have existed to prompt King Herod Agrippa I to oppress the followers of Jesus?

Why do you think James, the brother of John, was executed and not James, the brother of Jesus, or one of the other apostles?

What benefit might Herod have anticipated in arresting Peter during Passover instead of at another time?

Why did Herod want to wait until after Passover for Peter’s execution?

Why would so many soldiers be needed to guard Peter in prison?

While Peter was in prison, people were praying. What would they have expected to happen if God didn’t intervene? For how many days might they have prayed?

Chained between two soldiers, how comfortable do you think Peter was, sleeping on the prison floor?

When the angel entered the prison and Peter was asleep, who could have known that the angel appeared in bright light?

What might the state of the two prison guards have been at the time when Peter was freed from his shackles?

How long do you think it took Peter to get dressed and leave?

How could Peter think his escape was a vision and not real?

Why do you think the two guards at the door didn’t stop Peter?

By what means might the prison gate have opened? How would you describe the angel’s departure?

At what point do you think Peter realized that he wasn’t dreaming?

On the way to the house where people were praying, what might Peter have been thinking?

What do you think Peter had to say when the young woman saw him at the door?

How could Rhoda have seen who was at the door, but did not let him in?

What does it say about their faith when the people who were praying didn’t believe it possible that Peter was at the door? Who did they think it was?

How do you think the people felt when they greeted Peter?

How long might Peter have spent at the house, explaining what had happened and giving instructions? When he left, where could he have gone?

At some point, the two soldiers next to Peter realized their prisoner was missing. Later, the two soldiers at the door learned that he was gone. How would you describe the conversations that must have taken place?

How do you think Herod reacted to hearing that Peter was missing? What might he have thought about the responses to his interrogation?

What reasons could Herod have had for not liking the people of Tyre and Sidon?

Herod Agrippa I ruled (41–44 AD) under the dominion of Claudius Caesar (41–54 AD). Therefore, the famine in Judea could not have preceded 41 AD, and the abundance of food must have been in 44 AD, just preceding the king’s death. What does this say about climate change?

What might have been the content of Herod’s message when he spoke to the people in need of food?

Luke’s description of what happened in the death of Herod Agrippa I resembles Josephus’s description of how Herod the Great died. Do you think Josephus was right, Luke was right, or both kings died in similar ways?

How might Herod’s death have affected the spread of Christianity in the region?

What do you suppose happened in Jerusalem to prompt John Mark to join Saul and Barnabas when they went back to Antioch?